The most obvious and therefore listed first cure of bad breath is to brush, floss, and rinse on a regular basis and in the right way.

Brush the bad breath away

One of the most important arsenals in your fight against bad breath is the proper brushing of your teeth. It's very easy to neglect this critical exercise in your daily health, but if you don't brush your teeth curing bad breath will be impossible.

• Brush at least 2 times a day. First thing in the morning and directly before you go to bed. By doing this you are depriving the bacteria of their food source in your mouth.
• Avoid using soft toothbrushes, because they are like mops that just swab the surface of your teeth. The other extreme is hard bristled toothbrushes that can damage your teeth and gums. The bristles of the medium toothbrush are just enough to reach between teeth and under the gumline where the bacteria is
• Use the right toothpaste in your fight against bad breath. The job of tooth paste is multifaceted. For one thing it helps to remove stains and non-hardened plaque buildup from your teeth. The true power of toothpaste is that it contains fluoride which mixes with your natural enamel to make your teeth harder and stronger. That's why you should use toothpaste that says it contains fluoride on the label.

Down in the trenches with dental floss

If you neglect flossing you might as well do nothing to combat bad breath. The bacteria that causes bad breath collects between your teeth. You should floss at least 3 times per week. Here are a few tips to make flossing easier and more effective.

• Be consistent. Floss on the same days at the same time so it becomes a routine.
  
• Floss properly. Using the right flossing techniques is as important as being consistent. Rather than trying to explain how to properly floss your teeth I've included a video from youtube that shows it.
  
• Your gums will toughen up over time. When you first start flossing you'll see a lot blood and your gums will be sensitive but if you keep doing it properly the bleeding will stop and it won't hurt to do. For most people this takes about two weeks.
• You don't have to use traditional dental floss. I've always hated the traditional pooled dental floss. It seems like I spent more time trying to keep it under control than I spent flossing. Once I discovered the individual disposable flossing tools like "Plackers" it became much easier to floss on a consistent basis

Rinse the odor away in a flood

In order to fight bad breath you need a mouth wash that will kills bacteria in your mouth. Listerine is one of the most well known brands. Like brushing and flossing, rinsing needs to be done properly to get the most benefit from it.

• In most cases it is meant to be used after you brush. Some types are designed for use before brushing. These help to loosen plaque so your toothbrush is more effective.
  
• Whether you swish or gargle you need to keep it in your mouth long enough for it to be effective. In most cases 30 seconds is plenty of time. Once done spit it out. Don't swallow because like toothpaste mouthwash contains ingredients that can make you very sick

Bad breath isn't fought only with brushing, flossing, and rinsing. There are also certain foods that will help ward it off.

• Yogurt - The natural bacteria in yogurt will go to war against the bacteria in your mouth that causes bad breath.
• Apples, carrots, and celery all cause you to produce more saliva which keeps your mouth moist and rinsed. The saliva acts to neutralize bacteria in your mouth
  
• Eating cheese helps to eliminate odor causing germs in your mouth. It also helps to rebuild lost enamel in your mouth.
• Drinking water. This keeps your mouth moist and rinses bacteria away. Plus many communities add fluoride to their drinking water

While all the other things are good and if practiced consistently will usually result in better breath you can't neglect visiting your dentist on a regular basis. A dentist is able to see and tell you about underlying health issues that could be causing bad breath. Because your mouth is a good window to your general health a dentist is often the one who sees a problem before you or a regular doctor does. For example osteoporosis is often spotted by the dentist.

• Don't base your choice in dentists on cost alone. While not all cheap dentists are bad it doesn't hurt to investigate them before you commit to using them
• Ask for referrals from friends and family.
  
• Ask about their policy on payments. If you have insurance make sure they take your insurance. If you pay by cash make sure they don't have any rules against it. If you need to make a payment plan ask if that is possible before having the work done.
• Find a dentist you are comfortable with. Remember they're going to be digging around in your mouth with sharp metal objects.
  

If you practice those three ways of fighting bad breath will for most people be easy. There are some people due to underlying health issues who aren't going to cure their bad breath that way and instead will need professional medical intervention.